Questions and Answers

Question 1- Did you experience any symptoms? If so what?

Yes, The first symptom I recognized was sore feet, I would be coming down the stairs not knowing where my feet were going to land. General loss of control in all limbs, severe headaches, sore neck, loss of appetite which then resulted in weight loss, and nausea. I had no energy, I was exhausted all the time, my skin was itchy and when I scratched it felt like my skin was being ripped off. By the time I started treatment I could barely walk around the house because of pain in my joints and weakness.

Another thing that plummeted other than my physical wellness, was my mental wellness. I fell into depression, sleeping all day and night constantly in the worst pain of my life. Not knowing if I was going to get better was probably the worst. We went through many, many tests, all coming back negative. It was hard on not only me but also my wife and kids.

Question 2 Did you ever think you had Lyme disease? How or why?

Personally no, but my wife (Krista Foreman) put two and two together and realized I had Lyme disease.

Question 3 What other diseases were you tested for?

Multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, cancer, diabetic neuropathy, lyme test in New Brunswick results were negative. Blood sent to IGeneX for Lyme testing in California results were positive.

Question 4 How many medications were you put on and why?

After my first visit to I was started on two antibiotics. Then at then I was increased to 9 medications to kill bacteria.

Question 5 How far did you have to travel to be diagnosed?

I travelled to Moncton for an MRI, saw a neurologist in Fredericton, sent blood to California, travelled to Lahey Hospital in Boston to see a rheumatologist and neurologist and regularly travel to Albion, Maine for ongoing care.

Question 6 Are your medications accessible to you in Canada?

Not as the Canadian Medical Society does not recognize chronic Lyme disease.

Question 7 How has your recovery been and how long since diagnosis?

Diagnosis was December 28, 2015. Recovery has been long and hard, seven months for any noticeable improvement.

Question 8 How has it affected you physically? Do you have any limits that you did not have before?

Weakness: not as strong as I used to be. Lingering neuropathy and nerve pain. Everything else has returned to “normal”.

Question 9: How has it affected you mentally? Do you have any limits that you did not have before?

Depression and anxiety have decreased. You are sick for so long you don’t’ know if you’re going to get better, it’s hopelessness and despair that cause the depression.

Question 10: Do you sleep normally?

No, I have restless sleeping due to pain in my legs and all over but it is not all the time and not as bad as before.

Question 11 Have Lyme support meetings helped? How?

Mental health wellness, knowing other people have the same thing as you and that you are not alone and seeing some of the people that have recovered gives hope.

Question 12 Do you know anyone close to you with Lyme?

Yes, I know more people personally with Lyme disease than the government reports in the whole province. This angers me as there are a lot of sick people and they are getting sicker and sicker all the time because they do not have access to the medication. The medications are very expensive and I am lucky we could manage to get treatment for me.

Question 13 What would you tell people about avoiding ticks and Lyme disease?

Check your clothes and yourself for ticks after being outdoors. Ticks can be very tiny and half the time people, like me, do not know they have been bitten. And if you think you might have Lyme disease make sure you seek treatment on your own even if Canadian doctors say it’s not what you’ve got. I’m not sure where I would be without treatment but it would not be good.